Ed Thelen's Nike Missile Web Site
ed@ed-thelen.orgVisiting again? - updates, Bulletin Board
Table of Contents. This site presents a great deal of Nike Hercules
historical,
technical and
operational
information
and provides extensive links to Nike related
books, documents,
museums
and to other
Nike related web sites.
This site also provides a
photographic tour of Nike site SF-88
(being restored),
location and status of Nike sites,
and a
List of Nike People,
some on-line documents,
a bulletin board,
a search, a Photo Exchange,
an FAQ,
and a variety of other features.
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What Nike is all about
This three minute video is a (successful :-) test of an early Nike Ajax destroying a radio controlled WW-II B-17. Later tests verified that the Nike Ajax was also a killer of higher flying sub and supersonic jets such as used by the Soviet Union. The next generation was the Nike Hercules which was faster, longer range, and could carry nuclear warheads to destroy multiple targets. The equipment shown in this video must have been an engineering prototype - Things were much more crowded when installed in the two vans - among other things, the plotting boards here are horizontal, in the BC van, they are vertical. The analog computer operational amplifiers are different, big tubes here, in the vans they were "miniature" tubes, and on and on - the zero set switches (the round spinning things in the analog computer) were a little different style - I think you could say that this equipment was "re-packaged" for field use.
Mike Stucka, a staff writer for the Taunton Daily Gazette, was looking for images for a Nike story
and e-mailed
| ( That story has disappeared - I should have made a "local copy" ! ) I thought for a bit and replied: "Most look back and smile, and like to share the warm feeling :-))" |
This site has become a cooperative effort as more than 350 people have contributed text, stories, ideas, information, and corrections.
| The Nike surface to air missile system was named after the winged goddess
of victory in Greek mythology. Two versions of this system defended the U.S.
and other places from hostile aircraft.
The 1st version, the Nike Ajax, was deployed in the U.S. from 1954 to the early 1960s. It had an effective range of 25 miles. The 2nd version, the Nike Hercules, was developed which was faster, had a range of over 75 miles, and had nuclear capability. The Hercules was deployed starting in 1958. In 1963, there were 134 Nike Hercules and 77 Nike Ajax batteries defending the U. S. - as per "Rings of Supersonic Steel". Both versions above are made light and transportable by wheeled vehicles, transportable in cargo planes for "easy" mobility. With practice and preparation, a site could be moved in a long, hard day. As many parts as practical are made of aluminum or magnesium, the standard power frequency is 400 Hertz (cycles per second) saving iron and weight in transformers and motors as in aircraft. The Hercules is still in use (with an improved computer and a few other enhancements) by several countries today. |
This web site does not present photos, histories, nor detailed status of most NIKE sites. I link to other web sites take up that interesting challenge.
Almost all Nike Hercules related information has been declassified - the only exceptions are some IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) information, some flight characteristics, and some nuclear warhead information. This site has a little information on the Nike Ajax, and no information on Nike Zeus (external link).
I installed and maintained Nike Ajax fire control equipment (radars & computer) at Chicago site C-41 during 1955-1957. Maybe "we" deterred "them". I have served as a volunteer helping restore an old Nike site (SF-88) near San Francisco for the National Park Service.
About submitting photos to this web site.
Colorful Pictures, Movies, Brochures
Two "action" pictures and four movies
| Hercules Night Launch, (17 K bytes) ![[Herc night launch]](nike_017.jpg)
From previous army pictures at http://www.redstone.army.mil/ history/archives/nike_017.jpg.
Hercules Day Launch, On-Line Movies Nike Ajax Intercept - 1 minute, Internet Archive Nike Hercules Intercept - 1.5 min, Internet Archive Annual Practice - 1.5 min, YouTube Hercules Launchs - 6 min, YouTube | Nike Hercules night launchThe missile (with booster) was launched 0.4 seconds ago, is accelerating at 25 times the force of earth's gravity, has risen 60 feet, and it is now going 210 miles per hour.
Four seconds from now, the missile will be:
The Nike Hercules shown here defended major U.S. target areas against aircraft attack from 1958 to 1974. It had an effective range of over 75 miles and a speed of mach 3.6. South Korea has over 200 of these missiles, with associated radars and guidance systems, currently in service. Its predecessor, the smaller Nike Ajax, was in service from 1954 through about 1965. It had a range of 25 miles and a speed of mach 2.5. |
![[Herc day NAMFI launch]](nike_kreta1.jpg)
...
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2.3 MBytes | A short easy introduction to the Nike Anti-Aircraft system - from Michael Keller - posted May 3, 2013 Click on image to download the .pdf | 
| "Camp Sarafi", South Korea
from Al Dietz ... I believe the balloon antennas are left to right: TTR, TRR, and MTR. The LOPAR acquisition radar is behind the building. I don't normally post pictures of individual sites (too many), but isn't this bleak ?? Gads - imagine winter - |
Intercept - A little more technical ;-))
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This is a plot of a Nike intercepting a target flying at 52,000 feet.
The vertical scale is altitude in feet. (max 100,000 feet) The left trace is the Nike missile, the right is the target. The horizonal scale is computed time to intercept, in seconds. The middle is time zero, intercept. from TM9-1400-250-10/2 page 36, Manual |
Cold War in South Florida, ... Study available free online - posted Mar 4, 2010
3 MBytes |
Click on image to download the .pdf
Good news. The Cold War Study of Nike Hercules in South Florida ($19.95 plus shipping) has been re-released in pdf format as a public domain document. The tours of HM-69 has been overwhelming at Everglades National Park for the second year. Tours will be conducted through the end of March. Charles D. Carter |
Michael Keller wrote (Feb 2009) & (Dec 2010) & (Aug 2011) & (Dec 2012)
| Cover of 2 MByte brochure Just found this nice piece on Ebay. Printing Date is 10-15-56. "The purpose of this booklet is to inform high-school graduates-and their parents-of the matchless opportunities that lie within the Army Antiaircraft Command." Well, most of the once-adressed kids will be retired by now, but maybe they remember this booklet. |
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Its a 3 page folder, size 500mm x 100mm.
(Yes I prefer metric) :)
But look, on the frontcover:
seems that track LIMA296 has slipped through!! :))
It has a beautiful painting inside, and
a funny 70's scene on the backside.
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It contains the original Team Nike decal, and a small brochure.
Both items came to me together with the MISSILE MASTER booklet. [600 KB]
| The diameter of the decal is 4,06 inch. (103 mm) with kind regards from germany,
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A recruiting brochure featuring the Nike Hercules, "Now making its appearance on-site."
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Nike History
Nike in Overall Air Defense
Nike Site Technical information
Command and Control between Nike Batteries
Nike Operational information
Support for Nike Field Batteries (and museums)
On-Line documents ( Atempting to sort - somehow )
- Longer range radars another site
TU-4 "Bull" Bomber
photo credit Wikipedia
TU-95 "Bear" Bomber
Wikipedia
TU-22M "Backfire" Bomber
photo credit Wikipedia
- Documents w/out numbers
- Documents w numbers
- big trouble scanning - I quit -
here is two page sample
- 2 MBytes, from Michael Keller via
James Fee Langendoen
Places to visit, physical and on-line
People and Trip Reports
Stories, Questions
Other -
http://www.archive.org/details/nikeherc01 - To open,
click on "Unknown" in the "Stream (help)" box. Service can be a little slow. Spotted by Mike Stucka
and The 1974 digital conversion of Nike Hercules.
- then came Oct 2012, Hurricane Sandy - devastation :-((
- Hpasp provides Soviet equipment simulation
from this web site.
- I (Ed Thelen)
have not run the above program and can guarantee nothing.
- Yarbourgh's "How To" book
"Someone in Los Angeles offended Muslims."
reminded me of this "joke".
From Richard Brody, author of "Standing Guard at the 38th Parallel"
- What really pisses me off- glad you asked- is
that the dogs killed in Vietnam have a website dedicated to them, listing each of the
dog's names. None of the US soldiers lost (killed) in Korea after the war, (which never
really ended), are listed anywhere as casualties. Only their moms, wives and families
know, and some of us who were there and lost buddies :>((
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New policy: I am introducing a Photo Exchange so that those who wish to share can, and those who wish, can ask. I hope this works better than my previous "no photos" policy. You are still invited to look up web sites who specialize in a particular area, and offer there. Thank you |
General diagram of a Nike Hercules site.
If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail
to Ed Thelen (ed@ed-thelen.org)
Some
flattering pictures of Ed, a short bio.
This page updated Feb 21, 2015
The rest of this web site is being enhanced frequently.
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